UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION 4 

The Honorable Phil Bryant 

Governor of Mississippi 

P.O. Box 139 

Jackson, Mississippi 39205 

Dear Governor Bryant: 

ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER 

61 FORSYTH STREET 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8960 

FEB 1 6 201 6 

Thank you for your updated recommendations dated September 18, 2015, on air quality designations for 

the State of Mississippi for the 2010 revision to the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard 

(NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (S02). Reducing levels of S02 pollution is an important part of the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency's commitment to a clean, healthy environment. Exposure to S02 can 

cause a range of adverse health effects, including narrowing of the airways which can cause difficulty 

breathing and increased asthma symptoms. This letter is to notify you of the EPA's preliminary 

intentions regarding your recommended designations. 

On June 3, 2010, the EPA strengthened the health-based or "primary" standard for S02 by establishing a 

standard for 1-hour average S02 concentrations at a level of 75 parts per billion. Within 1 year after a 

new or revised standard is established, the Clean Air Act requires the Governor of each state to submit 

to the EPA a list of all areas in the state, with recommendations for whether each area meets the 

standard. Through an interactive process, the EPA considers the recommendations and then promulgates 

designations for all areas across the country. On July 25, 2013, the EPA designated 29 areas in 16 states 

as nonattainment, but did not at that time designate other areas. Pursuant to a March 2, 2015, courtordered schedule, 1 the EPA must complete the remaining S02 designations by three specific deadlines: 

July 2, 2016, December 31, 2017, and December 31,2020. 

This current round of designations, to be completed by July 2, 2016, addresses two groups of areas: (1) 

areas that have newly monitored violations of the 2010 S02 NAAQS based on the most recent three 

calendar years of certified monitored ambient air quality data, and (2) areas that contain any stationary 

source that had not been announced as of March 2, 2015, for retirement and that according to the EPA's 

Air Markets Database emitted in 2012 either: (i) more than 16,000 tons ofS02 or (ii) more than 2,600 

tons ofS02 with an annual average emission rate of at least 0.45 pounds ofS02/mmBTU. 

1 Sierra Club v. McCarthy, No. 3-1 3-cv-3953 (SI) (N.D. Cal. Mar. 2, 2015). 

Internet Address (URL) • http://www.epa.gov 

Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 30% Postconsumer) 
After carefully considering Mississippi's recommendations and other available technical information, 

the EPA intends to designate as unclassifiable/attainment the following areas, including the following 

counties or portions of counties: 

Intended Unclassifiable/ Attainment 

Area 

Lamar County 

Intended Unclassifiable/ Attainment 

Area Counties 

Lamar County 

The enclosed Technical Support Document provides a detailed analysis that supports our intended 

designation decisions. If your State has additional information that the EPA should consider prior to 

finalizing these designations, please submit it to us by April 19, 2016. We also will be publishing a 

notice in the Federal Register announcing a 30-day period for the public to provide input on the EPA's 

intended designation decisions. We will promulgate the designation for this area by July 2, 2016. We 

will designate all other previously undesignated areas in the State on a schedule consistent with the 

prescribed timing of the court order, i.e., by December 31, 2017, or December 31, 2020. 

We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as Vfe work together to complete the 

area designations and implement the 2010 primary S02 standard. For additional information regarding 

designations under the S02 standard, please visit our website at www.epa.gov/so2designations. Should 

you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me, or have your staff contact Beverly H. Banister, 

Director, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division at (404) 562-9070 or 

banister. beverly@epa. gov. 

Enclosure 

cc: Mr. Gary Rikard, Executive Director 

Sincerely, 

r=---

Heather 

Regional 

McTeer 

Administrator 

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Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) 

Dallas Baker, Chief 

Air Division, Office of Pollution Control, MDEQ 

Janet G. McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation 

Stephen D. Page, Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards